Kerry Kennedy is accused of driving while impaired with drugs. / Frank Becerra Jr., The (Westchester County, N.Y.) Journal News

by Erik Shilling, The (Westchester County, N.Y.) Journal News

by Erik Shilling, The (Westchester County, N.Y.) Journal News

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- Kerry Kennedy's drugged-driving trial has been set for Feb. 24, even as her attorney sought to have the charge dismissed.

Kennedy, the daughter of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and former wife of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, was arrested in July 2012 after a car accident in North Castle. She said little during her 15-minute appearance Thursday before acting state Supreme Court Justice Robert Neary at the Westchester County Courthouse in White Plains.

At the request of her lawyers, Kennedy was excused from appearing in court for the jury selection process, scheduled to begin Feb. 20.

Kennedy said that she would be in Brussels and the western Sahara, doing human rights work at that time.

Kennedy's lawyer, Gerald Lefcourt, said he would ask that the case be dismissed, saying that since his earlier motion prosecutors admitted that they didn't have evidence showing that Kennedy intentionally took a sleeping pill before the accident.

Noting that she was wearing gym clothes at the time of her arrest, Lefcourt said, "Nobody takes a sleeping pill to go to the gym. ... We believe that the court should consider dismissing the charge."

The defense also asked that the case be presented to a grand jury, which could then consider whether the charge is warranted.

Neary said he would rule on both motions before the trial date.

A Bedford resident, Kennedy was arrested in North Castle.

Tests revealed a small amount of a sleeping drug in her blood. Kennedy said she had accidentally taken a sleeping pill.